President Muhammadu Buhari Monday urged governors of the 36 states of the federation to work closely with the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on the control of COVID-19 to engender better harmony in the daunting task of checking the pandemic.
The president made the call during a video conference with Nigeria Governors’ Forum monitored at the Council Chambers of the State House in Abuja.
He said the PTF had briefed him on next steps in the national response to the pandemic, “and I have directed that they work very closely with the governors.”
He said the pandemic was “beyond technology, power, and resources,” stressing that countries that had all those, were recording highest casualties round the world.
“We have to be very careful. We need to continue to educate and persuade the people to accept the reality of the situation, and do all that is necessary to stay safe,” he said.
The meeting also discussed economic and security issues, among others, with the governors commending the president on the leadership and direction he has given the country in combating COVID-19.
The chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ekiti state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, led members of the forum.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; Minister of Finance, Budget, National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed; Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami; and the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele were at the meeting with the president.
